A. Field of Invention
The present invention relates generally to apparatus for providing for vehicular crossing of railroad grades and the method of installation of said apparatus, and more particularly to a new and improved railroad grade crossing apparatus capable of being quickly and easily installed, and the method of said installation.
B. Description of Related Art
Prior art exists showing means for crossing railway grades that comprising, in general, a variety of devices or methods for filling the spaces between the railway rails and between the rails and the crossing roadway surface, such that a motor vehicle may pass across the railway grade without undo impediment and without suffering unusual disturbance. A further object of the prior art devices is to eliminate the introduction of foreign materials in the gap between the filler devices around the rails and the rails themselves. The prior art devices are generally difficult to install and relatively inefficient in use. The known prior art devices are elastomeric flaps to be attached to the filler slabs that are placed between the rails and between the rails and the road way. The prior art devices are generally difficult to install and relatively inefficient in use. The primary shortcomings of the prior art devices is that they are not easily installed and are not sufficiently laterally resilient to keep the slabs in place and properly centered on the rail bed. The need is therefore felt for an apparatus and method of efficiently providing a railway crossing that is easy to install and that remains securely in place after installation.